Speaking of Sci-Fi

For the past few days I have been saving these from going in the bin. They are the screw tops for small pouches of baby food. Every time I feed my baby, I think about what I can use them for. 

My feelings at the moment tell me they would make good exhaust ports or ventilation fans. I worry about painting them, as they are very shiny, but hopefully I can do it. With infantry on the way, I need to quickly put together some things for them to fight over, so these might be good representing an underground base.

Does anyone else have any ideas about this too? Anything obvious I have not thought about?

I took the plunge!

I did it. I opted for  Ground Zero Games 6mm miniatures for my foray into Sci Fi miniature wargaming. Having looked extensively at their 15mm range, and having decided to build up a force of NAC and USMC infantry, I just plumped for the 6mm versions of these guys. It cost me £12 to order a 30 odd NAC infantry, 30 odd USMC infantry and 20 aliens that are meant to be Xenomorphs and possibly Predators too.

A purchase was also made of a bunch of 15mm diameter MDF circular bases, as I want these guys on individual bases for now. That might change, if my rule set preference changes.

I hope to be able to bash these guys out by Christmas so that I can start a wargaming/boardgaming after school club. The only unfortunate thing about that may be the safeguarding implications of posting AARs on this here blog.

More to come.

Clash on the Fringe, first thoughts.

Clash on the Fringe is a PDF Sci Fi rule set that is more of a space adventure game like Star Wars, than hard core wargaming.

I picked up the PDF and have been slowly working my way through it. I don't, however, have any 15mm miniatures, so that is probably what I will start collecting. I would love to do fights on other planets, and have found Khurasan Miniatures who will provide me with my xenomorphs and colonial marines. Time is all I need. Time and money that is.

I haven't touched a miniature since school began, which saddens me greatly. We do, however, have half term this next week, and I intend to paint up a few knights and possibly orcs. I want to get back into my hobby. Last winter, I started building a Normandy house that I never finished, and probably won't finish any time soon, but that project gives me hope that I will be able to spend a few Saturday evenings over the winter painting.

100th Post!

I am not sure how I envisioned my 100th post. Was it goingto be special? Was it just going to come and go unnoticed with pictures of various projects? I don't know. I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to read this blog, and all those who have inspired me to post and create my own.

This summer, after qualifying as a languages teacher, I was able to relax. I thought I would have time to dust off some projects and get some painting done. I have a bunch of Reaper Minis half done, and also picked up a box of Perry Miniatures 1450-1480 Foot Knights to give myself some generic armoured men to play with. Other events, however, have taken over and I have managed to one quick painting session with my young brother in law (hoping to convert him) and put together one sprue of Foot Knights who remain unpainted.

Do I have photos of this? No.

I also do not see myself getting much else done before term starts in a week and a half. I find this unfortunate as I miss painting. Doubly unfortunate because I have been browsing Ground Zero Games 15mm sci fi miniatures. I feel myself being drawn to them more and more, but again don't have anyone to play with. I have a vision to start a club at school, but don't know how viable that is in terms of trusting them with my miniatures and being able to provide enough terrain.

And so goes my 100th post. The hobby is alive in my heart, but not alive in my actions.

Bones 3: The Search for Mr Bones Kickstarter!!!

Click here to find the newest Reaper Bones kickstarter. For us Brits there is usually an extra $50 for shipping, and then £20 for customs tax, but I have found it to be worth it the first two times.

Funds are low this year, with Mathilde going on Maternity leave, and then us having a beautiful baby to take care of. I have 17 days to decide and get Mathilde on board if possible. Just not sure about it. I will watch it carefully.

I cannot recommend this enough though. The miniatures are decent quality and can be used in all kinds of settings. My Song of Blades and Heroes project is being made mostly with these guys.

Dad time.

With the end of my teacher training in sight, I am getting more and more excited for the summer, in which I should be able to find time to finish a few projects. That, of course, is all dependant upon how well my new daughter is sleeping, and letting me sleep.

That is right, my half term holiday painting plans have been dashed by the wonderful arrival of my beautiful daughter, Adelaide. I find myself getting lost in her eyes, and just watching her, not achieving anything.

Well, here is my new family;

I will probably be reposting this.

I have finally finished my skeletons. It has only taken a few months to get them painted and based. Up coming is a dragon and some heroes to fight the skeletons.

My only regret is using a gloss scarlet colour.

I think the two characters below are my favourites. I like that one has an axe, and one has rotting clothes.

In lieu of attending Salute...

I discovered Salute in 2013 and attended. It was amazing. I also went last year with my then fiance and introduced her to my hobby. It was an important moment for us.

Unfortunately, with deadlines and generally being overworked, I can't attend this year. I will miss out on the PSC deals, as well as investigating various fantasy avenues and possibly picking up some SAGA type miniatures to make some warbands. I also would love to have some Fellowship of the Rings miniatures.

To make myself feel better, while running some errands this morning I popped into the 99p Store. I do not regret it. I saw this garden ornament and thought it would make a good monument or something. It is a little broken on top, but that doesn't matter to me. I might stick some foliage on it or something to make it seem a bit forgotten.

I also popped into The Range and looked at the fishtank decorations. I was looking for plastic plants to chop up, but think I might get that online instead. What I did find, though, was this ruined section of building. It was £2.59 so I went for it. Cheap, easy, and ready to go.

On the Bench.

I had planned on priming a whole bunch of my Reaper miniatures so I could just pick them up and paint them every now and then. The idea was to nip over to my parents' house and do this, as my flat is small and my wife is pretty much constantly sick with the pregnancy. However, she has been taken into hospital for a couple of days to sort some stuff out and replenish fluids, and I found myself with an opportunity to prime outside of visiting hours.

The skeletons were primed white, and then i just went ahead and washed the white parts to see what would happen. I like it. I also painted the steel parts. I have, however, realised I need more colours.

The trouble with washing. (StuGs part 4)

Today the sun is out. It has been out all week, but today I am allowing myself a day of no work. No marking, no lesson planning, no essay preparation. Nothing. I even decided to bust out my paints and make some progress on the StuGs.

I dusted off my German Camo Brown and got to work, however, after a while I decided I would take the plunge and wash one of them. I didn't want to pin-wash, because efforts in that regard have been dismally disappointing. I just thought, I would paint the entire StuG with my Citadel "Weird named Oil" wash. I am not sure what to make of my results.

Something about it just seems off. It doesn't look, to me, like the wash has really pooled around the details. There seem to be large swathes of dried darkness. I will grant that it looks grubby. I just don't know what I was expecting. Maybe it is fine, and I am just over-thinking it. 

What do you guys think?